Automobile.



H. MAYER. AUTOIOIXLB.

AIM-MATH)! run In :1. mo.

1,003,768. mama Sept. 19.1011.

WWW/1512 m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY MAYER JOE ST. LOUIS, MIilSOURI. AZSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK.MAYER. OF ST. LOUIS, MISSSOURI.

AUTOMOBILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Application filed May 31. 1910. Serial No. 564.259.

To 177 'u 'lzom it may concern lie it known that i. llliNlIY Marian. a(iti- Zen of the United Stal n. residing at the city of Hi. Linda; tiate ol' Missour lraie invented a eel-lain new and aerial improvemeat inAutoumhilea. oi' whieh the following i a H])t(lllftli'i()lt.i'ei'ei'enee being had to the ac-eoinpau sino drawings, forming a parthereof. in whieh--- Figure l is a persperiiw view oi the steering-poetalill ive iug wx'heel oi an antoniohihequipped with my invention: Fig.i? is a eetioual \iew through the ste ring:- post and si'eeringwheelsahown in Fig. l: and Fig); i, is, a seetional \'it\\' on tin line Thisinvention relates to a new and neefol iuiprowauoui in aulomohilea. theohjeet of my invention being. broadly. t provide iueaua adapted toprevent the unauthorized use or stealing." oi automobiles aiid the like.

liith this ohjei-t in view. in inventi n reaide; in the novel eons'truiiouof the sew eral parta Ihereoi' and in the iifi fli arrangeiueul andeouihinaiion ot' the ame. all as will hereinafter he (ltFPl'll'lUtl andafterward pointed out in the fitlllllx'.

lo toe (ll'tlWlHgES. whereln hint" reference eharaeters refer to likeparts tl'iroughout the several views. lindieates the steeringpost of anautomobile, and 2 indicates the steering-wheel. Both said steering postand sieeriugr-wheel may he of any approved construction. saidSt(@l.'lllQI--])O$i 1 being. as usual. prei'erahl) metallic and thespider 2* of wheel! being likewise, as usuah pret'- erahl v metallie.Steering-wheel i:-. adapted to he loosely or monthly arraliired on saidpost '1. wheel 2 being provided with any suitable means, such aspreferably an inwardiy-extending annular flange or collar 3, adapted tosupport said wheel in rope]? position thereon. \Vheel 2 is also preerahly secured ae'ainst removal from post 1, as by a nut 4-. S00particularly Fig. 2.

The hub 5 of wheel 2 is vertically slotted or rut-out, as at to reeeireand support one end of a preferably rectangular shaped housing: or orhousing 7 in said hub 5 being preferably open, for purposes hereinafterappearing. This housing orcasina 7 is: preterahlpof anyysuitablemetallic sheet material and is adapted to fit smoothly at its upper sideagainst, the under side of a instance, spoke 8, of spider 2 casing 7.the end of said casing is secured to aairl gpolte by means at suitahieset-urine screws or-holts 9. said hous hip; or easing: 7 being providedwith suit able outwardl -extendiug flanges 1O ,ih ona'h whieh saidscrews or bolts 9 are spoke, as, i for 0 wheel 2 and adapted to pa e.

A'rraue'etl in housing or raising: 7 is a wilahh iirlt lion. th n,lUt'b. 11. an is usual. Comprising a metallic loelsiugraueuiber or halt:l2 Rliflah'e; iii a guide-may 11- a rotatable member or ii znlilrr l-iprovided with a Suitable keysio! '15 adapted to receive a suitable keyIt). and preferably any suitahle means (not ahownl ada )ted toeofiperate with said key when said loeltiug member or bolt 12 projectedinto lot-king; or operative position or returned to lllilotjlililfi orinoperative position. As shown. elearli in Fig. homing or easing T isprovided in a side thereof with :i'saitahle opening. as required, toaceolnntta ate said rotatable member or tumhler 14 and the portion ofthe side or wall of lot-ii l1 tilt'l'ttlllllllltIl.

Steering-post 1 is provided with a suitable l'tttfie; or opening. as at17, See particularly Figs. 2 and 3. ada ited to receive the forward endof \aid loeking-member or bolt 12 when the same is projected by said keyinto ltit'l{lll,f or operative position, said looking-member or bolt 12being thus adapted to releasably hold said wheel 2 in operativeeireagement with said steering post 1. When said lmsliingmiemher or holti2 is projreted into looking or operative position by said he 16. aswill readily be seen. the steering-post 1 may be operated or turned bysaid wheel 2, asrequired, to direct or guide front wheels of theaut'omobile with which said steering-post is usually connected; when,however, said lticking-member or bolt 12 is in unlocking or inoperativeposition, wheel 2 will he loose and free to rotate on steering-post 1and said steering-post will not be operated or turned, or said frontwheels directed, thereby. 18 indicates the ground-wire leading from thebattery or batteries controlling the spark-tank for the engine of theautomobile.

[This wire has u ually been heretofore eonneeted, so far as I am aware.to, and the spark-circuit thereby grounded through, some ,metalheportion of the body oi the automobile and said circuit, [has completed.

As the aaidbattery or batteries and spark- !t of any apprmt-d eonetrue-

